Dental treatment during pregnancy

Proper dental care, timely treatment of teeth and gums during pregnancy is no longer just the expectant mother’s concern for her health, but also taking care of the baby’s health. Women who are expecting a baby care whether it is possible for pregnant women to have their teeth treated, how long it is best to do it, how safe the treatment is – whether it will affect the course of pregnancy and whether it will harm the unborn baby. All the pros and cons of dental treatment during pregnancy, based on the opinions and recommendations of doctors, we have collected in this article.

Can teeth be treated during pregnancy

Doctors recommend doing dental treatment at the planning stage of pregnancy. However, pregnancy is not a disease, and in itself is not a contraindication for going to dentistry.

Moreover, with certain indications, the expectant mother needs urgent dental and gum treatment. Among these indications:

  • caries at different stages and its complications (pulpitis, periodontitis);
  • inflammation of the gums (bleeding, gingivitis, periodontitis);
  • infectious, fungal diseases of the mucous membrane (stomatitis, candidiasis);
  • tooth injuries, resulting in the appearance of chips, cracks, damage to the pulp, tooth root.

For any signs of diseases of the teeth, gums, you must make an appointment with the dentist. He will prescribe the safest treatment, taking into account the trimester of pregnancy and the peculiarities of its course, well-being, the state of health of the expectant mother, the nature of the problem.

The nuances of dental treatment during pregnancy

Let’s consider the main features of dental treatment during pregnancy, answering the most frequently asked questions of expectant mothers:

  • Can teeth be filled during pregnancy?

Yes, since modern filling materials are hypoallergenic, non-toxic and therefore safe for the mother and her baby. The technologies used in filling / restoring teeth are also safe.

  • Can pregnant women take dental x-rays?

Many pathological processes in the oral cavity develop imperceptibly (inside the tissues of the teeth) and can only be detected with the help of informative hardware diagnostics. Traditionally in dentistry, X-ray diagnostics (sighting image) is used. During pregnancy, the use of digital radiovisiography is recommended, which gives a low radiation exposure. During the examination, the patient is put on a protective apron.

  • Can pregnant women have their teeth treated with local anesthesia?

Tooth pain is considered one of the most severe, painful. Toothache during pregnancy can also be dangerous, as it provokes stress in the mother. With minor interventions (filling of small carious cavities), anesthesia is not used in pregnant women. If the treatment involves painful sensations (preparation of a deep cavity, treatment of pulpitis), it is carried out with an injection of a local anesthetic. The doctor selects the drug taking into account the patient’s condition, indications and contraindications.

Limitations and contraindications

The main contraindication to the treatment of a pregnant woman in dentistry is the threat of termination of pregnancy. In the normal course of pregnancy, the mother has no risk factors, treatment of urgent or potentially dangerous diseases of the oral cavity can be performed at any time (in any trimester).

Contraindications

  • 1
    Whitening. Contraindication to the procedure is due to the fact that it can be quite aggressive for weakened tooth enamel. During the carrying of a child, the woman’s body directs the lion’s share of energy and nutrients to the formation and development of the child. In this regard, many expectant mothers have a lack of calcium in the body, which leads to a decrease in the strength of the hard tissues of the tooth. In this condition of the enamel, whitening can seriously harm the health of the teeth.
  • 2
    CT. It is not performed due to the fact that the ionizing radiation of a computed tomograph is harmful to the fetus.
  • 3
    Prosthetics, implantation. The reason for the contraindication is the need for computed tomography, large-scale surgical intervention that requires the use of strong anesthetics, and in some cases additional drug therapy. The exception is removable prosthetics, the installation of prostheses on existing implants. These procedures are carried out only after consultation with a gynecologist, if the woman has no individual contraindications.
  • 4
    Extraction of teeth. Planned tooth extraction (third molar, unerupted or dystopic tooth, provided there is no discomfort and complications) is postponed until the baby is born. The doctor makes the decision to pull out a tooth during pregnancy in exceptional cases – in the case of an acute inflammatory process, acute pain, when it is impossible to carry out adequate treatment and restoration, if the preservation of a diseased tooth poses a greater threat to the health of the mother and child than its removal.
  • 5
    General anesthesia and a range of local anesthetic drugs.
  • 6
    Orthodontic treatment. It is also better to postpone it until later (when the baby is born). If the expectant mother is already wearing braces, the treatment continues, but the requirements for hygiene and control over the condition of the tooth enamel are increasing.

Treatments in different trimesters

Even if a woman responsibly approached the issue of planning pregnancy and treated her teeth in advance, during pregnancy she still needs to regularly visit dentistry. This will allow identifying caries and other pathological processes in the oral cavity at an early stage, applying the safest methods of treatment, and preventing the negative impact of infections on the development and health of the child. To control the condition of the teeth and gums, the expectant mother needs to undergo a dental examination in the 1st trimester (before registering) and in the last months before childbirth.

If we talk about carrying out any dental procedures, then not only the condition of the woman, but also the duration of pregnancy, matters. Each trimester has characteristics, risks that determine the choice of treatment methods.

First trimester

The first trimester lasts up to 12 weeks inclusive. In the first trimester, all vital organs in the body of the unborn child are laid, while the placenta is still not strong enough to reliably protect the fetus from the influence of external factors, and the woman’s body undergoes serious hormonal, physiological, and metabolic changes. Any intervention, stress, medications can adversely affect both the gestation process and the health of the baby, therefore, dental treatment during pregnancy in the first trimester is carried out using mainly non-invasive methods of therapy.

Features of treatment at 1-12 weeks of pregnancy:

  • if possible, the doctor excludes surgery, the use of drugs, anesthesia;
  • sparing methods of treatment are used (caries at the initial stage using ICON technology, preparation and filling of small cavities without anesthesia);
  • regardless of the term, preventive measures (professional hygiene) are recommended, for which the dentist selects the safest drugs and instruments, taking into account the patient’s position.

Second trimester

This is the period from 13 to 24 weeks of pregnancy. For both mom and baby, this is the quietest and safest period. Therefore, if the patient has indications for the treatment of caries, professional hygiene and other planned dental procedures, the dentist transfers them to the second trimester of pregnancy.

Third trimester

One of the pressing questions for expectant mothers is until what week can teeth be treated in dentistry? The third trimester (starting from the 25th week and before childbirth), like the first, is quite difficult for the expectant mother. Difficulties are caused by heavy loads on the female body, increased susceptibility of the placenta to external factors. Dental treatment during pregnancy in the 3rd trimester is carried out in case of acute conditions that can be dangerous to the health of the mother and child. It is recommended to postpone planned operations, procedures, therapeutic methods until the baby is born.

Pain relief during pregnancy

Dental treatment can be quite painful, especially when it comes to such acute conditions as pulpitis, tooth extraction, and pain is stress that can be dangerous at any stage of pregnancy. If there is a need for dental treatment for a pregnant woman, the doctor must make sure that nothing threatens the health of the mother and the unborn child. For a comfortable (painless) and safe treatment, a new generation of pain relievers is used. These include lidocaine, ultracaine, scandonest.

This pain reliever is recommended for pregnant women for several reasons:

  • its components do not overcome the protective placental barrier;
  • they do not affect the intrauterine, placental blood flow;
  • contain vasoconstrictor components in low concentration;
  • do not pose a threat of disruption of pregnancy, are safe for mother and child.

An alternative to local anesthesia during pregnancy is treatment under sedation (during sleep). This method is used even in pediatric dentistry in the treatment of the smallest patients.

Benefits of sedation in dental treatment during pregnancy:

  • no negative impact on the mother and baby;
  • elimination of stress for the mother during treatment.

How are the procedures carried out

The likelihood of developing dental diseases during pregnancy increases significantly. This is due to hormonal changes in the woman’s body, weakening of the enamel against the background of the fact that most of the trace elements involved in the formation of bone tissue are directed to the development of the child. To avoid problems, keep teeth healthy, the specialists of the Amel Dental clinic recommend that the expectant mother visit the dentist regularly, undergo timely treatment and follow the doctor’s recommendations.

A woman does not need to worry about the dangers and complications associated with dental procedures, as our doctors will take care of the maximum comfort and safety of mother and child, using for this:

  • digital diagnostics with minimal ionized radiation;
  • modern gentle methods of treatment, including non-invasive, minimally invasive, which allow for effective and safe treatment of teeth and gums during pregnancy, provide reliable prevention of stoma diseases;
  • safe anesthesia;
  • an individual approach, which takes into account the entire complex of the patient’s indications (condition, gestational age, well-being, nature of the disease, individual reactions to drugs, etc.)

Amel Dental Pregnancy Dental Care Tips

The state of the oral cavity affects the health of the whole body of the mother, and, accordingly, the health of the baby in her womb. Therefore, it is very important to provide your teeth and gums with good care, to monitor their condition throughout pregnancy.

Dentists recommend:

  • sanitize the oral cavity at the stage of pregnancy planning (if necessary, treat caries, remineralize the enamel, do professional teeth cleaning in dentistry);
  • take care of a balanced diet to provide sufficient micronutrients for the formation of the fetus and maintain the health of the teeth and bones of the mother;
  • brush your teeth at least 2 times a day (morning and evening), rinse your mouth after each meal, use dental floss;
  • undergo a dental check-up at least 2 times during pregnancy (in the first and last trimester);
  • in case of symptoms of inflammation, diseases of the oral cavity, immediately make an appointment with a dentist.